USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1949-1960 > Part 59
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Poison Ivy control is getting results and any infection ad-
jacent to streets should be reported to the Moth Superintendent .
We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the Police and Highway Departments and all others in helping us in our com- munity efforts
Respectfully submitted,
Gustav H. Koch - Moth Superintendent Delbert Porter William Hall
Report of SEALER OF WEIGHTS & MEASURES
UNITED STATES
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NEW SOUTH LYNNFIELD POST OFFICE
Numerous changes in Lynnfield, modernization of Gasoline Stations and Stores, added to the duties of the Sealer of Weights and Measures in 1956. A constant check of weighing and measur- ing devices was maintained and occasional mechanical break- downs were the only variances from legal Standards noted .
Compliance of the various merchants was excellent. A check of pre-packaged goods from time to time showed careful handling of the methods of merchandising .
Scales 28
Weights 20
Pumps
32
Respectfully submitted,
Gustave H. Koch
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Report of BOARD OF HEALTH
The activities of the Board of Health have been greatly in- creased this year with the rapid growth of the town.
There were nine subdivisions inspected and approved by the Board .
316 complaints were reported to the Board of Health and every effort was made to correct these complaints to the best of our knowledge.
This past year, Lynnfield installed it's own Biological Dis- tribution Center, which entails the handling of certain vaccines, and anti-toxins used by the doctors of this town. This Center makes it possible for local doctors to avail themselves of these vaccines and anti-toxins without going to a neighboring town distribution center. This saves them time.
Your Board of Health was grieved by the passing of Mr. Edward Harney, Jr. this past year. During his time of service as plumbing and cesspool inspector, he served the town with outstanding faithfulness and his help to the Board of Health was very much appreciated.
The death of Mr. Edward Harney, Jr., the late plumbing inspector, necessitated the appointment of a temporary inspector and assistant .
Under the administration of the Board of Health the first and second shots of Salk Vaccine were given this year. The total of 3240 shots were given at the clinics held in the schools. These clinics were under the supervision of the Health Agent, Dr. George Robinson .
A pre-school clinic whereby children received vaccination against Small Pox, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, etc. was held in March and April under the supervision of Dr. Robinson.
The Town has five kindergartens, an increase of two over the previous year. These were formally licensed and inspected.
Respectfully submitted, Dr. George S. Robinson Harold D. Aldrich Manton P. Spear
HEALTH OFFICER
The past year has seen ever-increasing demands on the Board of Health. This is a natural outgrowth of the constantly widening scope of health problems as the population of our town increases .
CLINICS
The Salk Polio Vaccine program was put into complete op- eration this year when 1366 children of all grades and over 400 pre-school children were given their first and second inoculations in a series of7 clinics held in the schools. This was accomplished
only with the cooperation of a smooth working team of volunteer doctors, nurses and office workers, under the direction of your Health Officer.
Those assisting were:
Doctors: Dr. Walter Leonard
Dr. Kenneth Sinish
Dr. William Wiswall
Nurses: Mrs. H. E. Lindquist, Chairman
Mrs. Ronald Smith
Mrs. Arthur Jorgenson
Mrs. George Loux
Mrs. Waldo Burnham
Mrs. Walter Romanchuk
Mrs. John Miller
Mrs. Reuel L. Davis, Jr.
Clerks: Mrs. Harry Tanner
Mrs. Robert Van Amburg
Mrs. Harold Aldrich
Mrs. David Farrar
Mrs. Harry Wright
Mrs. Wilfred Burr
Mrs. Norman Cooper
The annual Pre-School Clinic for immunization of children against Diptheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough and for vac- cinations against Small Pox was held as usual. There is no charge for this special Board of Health service .
DAY NURSERIES
I have inspected the five local nursery schools and kinder- gartens and the Board of Health has issued to them necessary certificates. All are being operated in accordance with the regulations of the Lynnfield Board.
They are:
Jack and Jill Day School
Little Red School House
Pine View Kindergarten
Suntaug Nursery
Tower Kindergarten
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COMMUNICALBE DISEASES
Communicable diseases reported this year were:
Dog Bites 34
Chicken Pox
16
German Measles
138
Measles 4
Mumps
3
Salmonellosis
2
Scarlet Fever
25
Septic Meningitis
1
Again I would remind all residents that all communicable diseases must be reported to the Board of Health. Many of the above reports have been obtained only with the help of the school nurse .
I hope before another year is past the Board of Health may
engage the part time services of a sanitarian who would assist in problems of drainage and sanitary conditions. It is possible that such a person could be secured in conjunction with some of our neighboring towns thus enabling us to keep the expense to a minimum. This will not be all increased expense to the town, however, as under present conditions we have costs of this type when it is necessary for us to hire outside sanitary engineers for these needs .
With the rapid growth of our town and the increasing use of low lying land we have great need of a man with special training in problems of sanitation as regards sewage and percolation tests. In having a sanitarian directly responsible to us we would be better able to insure future healthful conditions for the entire town.
Respectfully submitted,
George S. Robinson, M.D. Health Officer
Report of DOG OFFICER
PILLINGS POND- LYNN -
TURNPIKE- +MIDDLETON
DOGS LICENSED IN 1956
412 Males
2.00
$ 824.00
90 Females
@ 5.00
450.00
295 Spayed Females
2.00
590.00
4 Kennels
10.00
40.00
801 Licenses
$1,904.00
Fees deducted
160.20
Paid to county
$1,743.80
Report of CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTOR
During the past year the Lynnfield Civil Defense organization has so organized as to be of great assistance to the community. The organization of the Auxiliary Police, Firemen and Communi- cations has been most successful and the long job of an effective Warden Service is now being processed. Ahead is the equipment necessary for the Rescue Services, the Radiac Service, plus a good working Plan of Evacuation, now that this Town has been designated to be evacuated.
Altogether we have approximately 200 volunteer members of Civil Defense, some are inactive only because time does not allow to do all the programming necessary for a real efficient organization. It is my idea that whether we realize it or not, we are all members of Civil Defense, because this Department is interested in saving lives and property, and is doing much to make Lynnfield the best place to live. During the past year we have accomplished much, some of which I would like to note. We have purchased and partially equipped a Fire Engine for the
Fire Engine for the Auxiliary Fire Dept. Obtained Rubber coats and rubber boots for twenty men. We have thirty Auxiliary Firemen, of which ten are available for daytime service. These men are divided into two groups, fifteen at each end of the Town. They are doing an outstanding job for the community. We have thirty Auxiliary Police, twenty are completely equipped, ex- cepting firearms; all men have been trained for Pistol handling. Also the Auxiliary Police sponsor the Lynnfield Junior Rifle Club, composed of 76 teen age boys who are instructed in Rifle handling every Thursday and Friday evening at the Police Rifle Range, Town Hall .
Our Communication Group is rated the highest in Mass. We are indeed fortunate that this organization can function on a 24-hour basis. Our Rescue truck was donated by the Lynnfield Fire Dept. Assoc. We are asking for funds to equip this truck. We have a most effective Rescue Service, which is inactive because of lack of equipment .
43
⑈
It is my intention to consolidate many of the groups this year. 1 will keep the townspeople informed of all important Civil De- fense news through the local press, and wish to thank all those who have supported our activity this year .
Civil Defense suffered a severe blow with the passing of Sergt . Chilton Hastings. His leadership and devotion is missed by all the people he came in contact with.
LYNNFIELD CIVIL DEFENSE COUNCIL
J. Bart Conners - Director
Howard Armerding - Deputy Director
Auxiliary Fire Chief
Sanborn Caldwell
Auxiliary Police Chief Joseph Camillieri
Rescue Services
David Farrar
Welfare
Evacuation Food
Wesley Monroe Josiah Poeton Mrs. Joseph Smith Perley Burrill
Fuel Supplies
Nursing Shelter
Mrs. A.M. Jorgenson, R. N. Walter Vorse Mrs. D. Whitehouse
Council Secretary
Medical
Public Information
Communications
Wardens
Wire Service
Radiac
Water
Utilities Medical Supplies
Thomas B. White, M. D. Mrs. K. Crumrine Richard Doremus Leroy Hadsell James Thompson F. Ralph Sias Clifton E. Hodgdon James C. Fletcher John Duggan Julius Rombolt
Report of ROAD COMMISSIONER
Early in 1956 the Highway Department schedule was taken under dictatorship by Mother Nature, as the heaviest snow in ten years began in January and continued into April.
The year had scarcely passed the February milestone when it was apparent that both men and equipment would be tested to the utmost in keeping the roads open and as safe as human and machine effort could devise.
Every available piece of equipment in the department that could possibly be converted for the task was in use. For the first time since 1947 the department's big Caterpillar Tractor was rolled out with its big V-shaped plow, to ram through snow drifts that in many cases defied the thrust of the heavy truck plows.
When the final tally was made, more than five feet, or a total of 64.2 inches of snow had fallen in Lynnfield between January 1 and April 15. By months the snow fall in inches was - January 8.8 - February 16.5 - March 35.7 and April 3.2.
In a continuing program of general improvements, storm drains were built in various sections of the town to control area water conditions. Drains were constructed on Greenwood Road at Summer Street, a new and larger drain was installed on Salem Street near the Winchester property and on old stone culvert at this location was removed. A drain system was also installed on Chestnut Street, near the Kimball property .
A flooding problem in Canterbury and Standish Roads was relieved by installation of larger pipe at the Canterbury end and by improving control of the outlets at Nell's Hole in the Lynn Woods section.
Streets rebuilt with the bituminous concrete surface, adopted as a department standard three years ago, include Crest Road, Main Street between Summer Street and Beaver Avenue, and a portion of Grove, Lake, Suntaug Streets and Vokes Terrace.
Stone seal surfacing was applied on Forest Hill and Perry
Avenues, Bay State and Lynnbrook Roads, Brook Drive, Ingalls Terrace and a portion of Essex Street .
The Sidewalk Program resulted in the addition of 7,920 feet of paved walk in the town. This program was limited to two streets this year, with 4, 752 feet being added on Summer Street and 3, 168 feet on Walnut Street.
Chapter 90 road construction, which has become increasingly advantageous to the town during the past few years, resulted in the paving of Walnut Street for a distance of 3, 168 feet and the construction of a new concrete and masonry culvert near the Gerry Cider Mill site.
This work was accomplished with the town paying only 20 percent of the total cost. The state provided 60 percent and the county 20 percent of the funds for this construction.
The state estimate of cost for the completion of Walnut Street reconstruction to the Saugus line is $80,000. Of this sum, $25, 000 was expended in 1956; it is planned to spend a like amount in 1957, with the final allocation projected in 1958.
44
By direction of the Town Meeting a new sand spreader and Ford pickup truck were purchased with the Board of Selectmen and the Road Commissioner serving as a purchase committee.
A probable indication of a levelling off process in town de- velopment appears evident in the fact that only 1.26 miles of new road was under construction at the close of the year. When completed, this additional road will give the town a net street total of 44.57 miles .
There is a definite need for a newsidewalk plow to maintain
the department efficiency in snow clearance. A request for this equipment will be made at the Annual Town Meeting for 1957.
The Commissioner takes this opportunity to thank the citizens and the administrative officials of the Town for their help and wholehearted cooperation during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
James C. Fletcher Road Commissioner
Report of VETERANS' SERVICE DIRECTOR
I herewith submit the Report of Veterans' Service Director and Veterans' Agent for the year ending December 31, 1956.
This department has operated the past year with an average of five to six active cases, five emergency cases were handled in a like manner. Various veterans were advised on their tax abatements and hospitalization. Two World War I widows were helped on burial cases. Three new cases were accepted in closing days of Decembe. .
I would like to thank at this time the various department heads and citizens of the town for their fine cooperation with this office .
Respectfully submitted, Burton B. Cogswell Veterans' Agent Veterans1 Service Director
Report of PARK & CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS
During the year of 1956 the Park and Cemetery Commissioners turned back to the Town of Lynnfield $1,984.00. This figure represents monies received during the year for internments, care of lots, sale of lots and interest on the perpetual care funds .
It was a great personal shock to the Commissioners when Donald Newhall died during the summer. Donnie had been of great assistance to the department as well as a personal friend of the commissioners. It was decided that Suntaug Park should be renamed Donald M. Newhall Memorial Park in memory of a dedicated town official and staunch supporter of all movements dedicated to the youth of the whole town.
In September Mr. Minot H. Carter, long a resident of the Town, and former road commissioner, was appointed to complete Mr. Donald Newhall's term on the Commission.
Repairs and rebuilding of the retaining wall at Newhall Park bordering Suntaug Lake were begun this year, and it is the hope of the Commissioners that this project will be com- pleted in 1957. Funds for this as well as for much needed work on the field itself and the tennis courts will be requested at the annual town meeting .
The new Flag Pole, authorized at the Town meeting was purchased and installed on the Common in time for the Memorial Day exercises .
An open meeting was held in the fall with interested citizens of the Glen Meadow area in an effort to determine for what purpose the playground should be used. The various opinions expressed at this meeting will be of valuable assistance to the commissioners in the future development of this Park. It is anticipated that further meetings will be held as work progresses, and funds will be requested for this development.
It becomes apparent that at the present time the Town is not as fortunate as it might be in the development of park, play- ground and recreation areas. It is the hope of the Commissioners that in 1957 some steps will be initiated to remedy this problem .
Respectfully submitted,
John B. Rodgers, Chairman James V. Thompson, Secretary Minot H. Carter
45
Report of BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Arthur S. Tewksbury, Jr., Chairman
Stanley E. Flagg
Mason J. Condon
Wesley W. Munroe, Agent
GENERAL RELIEF: Case Load has been about the same with higher Medical and Hospitalization. $2, 364. 11 was spent under this category .
Lynnfield Department of Public Welfare has participated in the State Medical Plan for the past three years. Hospital rates, Nursing Home rates and related medical services conform to the schedule of fees established by this State Plan. The whole hearted cooperation of all local medical and associated personnel aids greatly in maintaining our standard of care at a high level .
During 1956 we lost by death, transfer and other reasons 10 Cases and received and investigated 16 new applications for assistance, of which 4 were rejected or withdrawn .
1956 Budget
General Relief
$ 4,160.00
Old Age Assistance
33,277.40
Aid to Dependent Children
3,000.00
Disability Assistance
500.00
Salaries
3,648.00
Expenses
300.00
Total
$ 44,855.40
Included in the 1956 expenditures were the following services:
Physicians of client's choice
$ 1,993.00
Medicines and Prescriptions
4,186.40
Nursing Home Costs
10,680.92
Hospitals
2,486.75
X-Rays, Clinics, Dentists, Glasses, etc .
827.72
Visiting Nurse
14.56
Total
$ 20,189.35
TOTAL CASELOAD IN 1956 (Payroll Cases)
CASES
PERSONS
Old Age Assistance
66
66
Aid to Dependent Children
1
3
Disability Assistance
2
2
General Relief
4
8
Total
73
79
The Federal Government has returned to the Town $24, 355.75 on three categories which has been re-used and $24, 571.79 re- turned from the State which has gone into Town of Lynnfield Excess and Deficiency Account.
Report of SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Much of the time of the School Committee has been spent in planning for Lynnfield's High School .
In order to eliminate the possibility for misunderstanding the School Committee wishes to restate the plan for absorbtion of high school, classes within the Town's schools.
At the present time children in grades ten through twelve are attending Wakefield High School as tuition pupils. These students will complete their education in Wakefield.
Beginning September 1957, the Lynnfield schools will retain pupils entering grade ten; in September 1958 those entering grade eleven; and in September 1959 those entering grade twelve . Thus we will move to a complete senior high school over a three year period.
The construction of the Senior High School Wing is pro- ceeding satisfactorily. This project is the responsibility of the High School Building Committee under the chairmanship of Carl F. Van Bennekom.
The High School Program Committee has completed it's task. This group of fourteen people, lay and professional, labored for
more than a year to accomplish it's ends. " It has studied, met with consultants, talked with people in business and industry, sought advice from admissions offices of colleges. Finally it has prepared in broad terms it's recommendations for a high school program for Lynnfield. As this is written the School Committee is studying the report and the means for activating the recommendations. Weare mostgrateful to Arthur A. Barton, the chairman, and his committee for this contribution to planning .
In September 1956 the School Committee put into effecta longer day at the Junior High School level. The school day is now a six hour net day made up of six one hour periods. While this move is among the recommendations of the High School Program Committee, it had been under discussion by the School Committee for about two years. By this change, the time per major subject with the classroom teacher, has been increased from two hundred to three hundred minutes per week. The amount of work required and the need for more and better accomplishment indicated that this step was a desirable one to make .
We wish to emphasize a fact for parents whose children are planning for more schooling beyond high school . Competition for admission to schools beyond the secondary level is becoming keener each year. To compound the problem the first big flood
46
of high school graduates descending on the colleges will be in 1960. Our first highsschool class will be among this group. Estimates indicate that forty percent more children will be trying to enter college in 1960 than in 1956. The situation will be worse in the ten years following. As a result of pressures of population, colleges and other advanced schools are becoming more and more selective.
What is so, for those who are headed for college is equally true for those who are not. Work in business and industry today requires more and better education if workers are to meet the more complex demands successfully .
In the light of the serious problem of educating our youth we hope that parents will understand the reasoning behind efforts to raise standards. It is the desire of the School Committee that our schools work toward more achievement rather than less. We hope that we will have the cooperation of parents in this effort.
Lynnfield's teaching staff now numbers sixty. The size has doubled since 1952. It will double again by 1960. To ac- complish this maneuver successfully we must retain the excellent people now on our staff, compete for the best of the new teachers, and persuade some who are teaching in other communities to come here . All of this is made more difficult by the fact that a large proportion of those whom we must find will be needed to work in the High School area - one in which competition is now most intensive.
After weighing the problem carefully andstudying the over- all salary picture we have found it necessary to make a further increase in teachers' salaries.
Transportation costs for 1956 amounted to $36,740, nearly 10% of the entire school budget. The School Committee has been faced with considerable pressure to transport more children, which it has in general declined to do. The present policy calls for children in grades 1-5 to walk 3/4 ofamile. Those in higher grades must walk one mile.
The South School play area has been completed. A level plot about 400 ft. square plus a small plot equipped with play
RETIRED
George H. Carder has been a resident of Lynnfield for 43 years, living in the original homestead at 495 Broadway. In August of 1956 at the age of 70, he retired from the position of custodian of the Lynnfield South School, a position which he held for twenty years. Prior to this, Mr. Carder was employed in the machine shop at the General Electric for twenty years. He retired from the fire department five years ago at the age of sixty-five years after serving for thirty-two years. He now devotes his time to his hobby of carpentry .
equipment are now in use .
The Town voted to secure an elementary school site adjacent to the Glen Meadow area at the annual town meeting. The School Site Committee, under the chairmanship of G. Richard Keller, is expected to make recommendations for more sites shortly . We commend the report of the committee to your careful attention.
The Summer Street School was opened in September 1956. The twelve room addition to plant was most necessary and wel- come. We wish to express appreciation to the School Building Committee for this excellent building .
The Elementary School Planning Committee, Lew A. Batchelder, Chairman, has recommended an additional elemen- tary school building to be completed by September 1959. We concur in this recommendation and hope that the Town will take the necessary steps to provide this building on schedule.
We have asked the Selectmen to initiate action for more parking space at the High School building.
The Town will soon have to provide special classes for re- tarded children. We have been able to solve this problem by sending children out of town on a tuition basis. When others no longer have space for our children we will have to meet the situation ourselves.
We wish to say a word about the Parent Teacher Association. This yeara P. T. A. Advisory Council was established coordinating the work of the several associations. A new P. T. A. was estab- lished for the Summer Street School. The P. T. A. 's have had representatives in attendance at nearly all School Committee meetings . The P. T.A. 's have done excellent work in connection with the Savings Program, and through the service of room mothers, have helped the schools greatly. The South and Center P.T.A. groups performed the pre-school census for us again this year - thus aiding us in our job of planning for the future. We wish to express our appreciation to the people who give their time so generously for these purposes .
During 1956 the School Committee met thirty-one times. Representatives of the Committee spent one day visiting schools of other Towns and one day at an educational meeting. Meetings were held with six other Town Committees or Boards. One School Committee Association meeting was attended. At least one mem- ber of the School Committee has served on the School Building Committees, The High School Program Committee and the Evaluation Committee .
We call your attention to ther report of the Superintendent of Schools, which contains more detailed information about your schools.
LYNNFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Winsor H. Beebe Willis P. Burbank Robert W. Davis Bessie L. Sinish Charles W. Kessler, Chairman
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Report of SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
In 1956, the pupil enrollment within the Town increased 13% and the enrollment at Wakefield High School went up 9%. The in-town increase is proportionate to the increases for the last several years. That at Wakefield High School is propor- tionately a little higher than normal, but we are now at the peak enrollment for students attending there.
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